005 Trebbia (218 BC)

Trebbia 218 BC

Carthaginians vs Romans

Historical BackgroundAfter the battle at the Ticinus River, Hannibal soon faced an entire Roman army under the Consul Sempronius. As vain as he was inept, Sempronius wanted a victory to finish our his year as Consul. He took no cautionary advise from the wounded Publius Scipio, but instead sent his army, cold and hungry, through the icy waters of the Trebbia to engage Hannibal's army on the far side. Hannibal had prepared the first of many traps for unwary Romans - he had placed his brother Mago and a picked force of cavalry and infantry out of sight in a ravine. The Romans did not discover them as they passed by. Despite their cold and hunger, the Roman infantry was doing well against Hannibal's main line. Then twin disaster struck. Mago's detachment emerged from hiding and struck the Romans from behind, and the weather turned markedly colder. Assailed from two sides, and now literally freezing to death, the Romans broke. Many died trying to recross the Trebbia. Sempronius's army of two double legions was effectively destroyed.The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. The rest is history.

War Council

Army: CarthagianLeader: Hannibal5 Command Cards

Army: RomanLeader: Sempronius5 Command CardsMove First

Victory7 Banners

Special RulesThe River Trebbia is fordable.Mogo's ambush may be ordered by playing a 'Leadership' card after the Carthaginian first turn.'Inspired Leadership' force enters in the section as noted, 'Leadership Any Section' the force enters in the section of Carthaginian player's choice. Each of Mogo's three units, 1 medium cavalry and the 2 medium warriors, are set onto a baseline hex on the Roman side of the battlefield. Mogo may be placed with any of these units. This set on countsas the first hex of movement for a unit this turn. Should these units have to retreat, they must retreat toward the Carthaginian side of the battlefield.

Two games yesterday. First game 7-4 for Carthage. Mago took the day with savage strike to the Roman right flank. Other notable things were elephants dying without accomplishing anything and Hannibal's valiant stand with his medium infantry (he lost his starting heavy unit quite early but survived) against three Roman units inflicting heavy casulties which when Mago showed up sealed the game.
Second game 7-4 for Rome. No reinforcements (Carthagian player used up the only "Leadership" card for other part of the battlefield and didn't get another) which made life much easier for Romans. Again elephants were ineffective (did some damage but died early). Carthage disrupted Roman left flank but Romans destroyed Carthagian center and right flank. Tense game; if Mago showed up it would've been really hard and risky for Romans to advance, but I guess they should take that opportunity if it presents itself. Notable plays: two Carthagian LC creating havoc in Roman left flank and getting behind Roman lines. Sempronius and his mediums, flanked with heavies and other mediums cutting through Carthagian center toward right flank. Roman light infantry having godly aim, wounding elephants and heavies.

Close game, Carthage 7 Rome 6. Rome marched up the middle taking out the Light slingers. The Carthage Light mounted also suffered. Mago turned up just in time to hit the Roman right. The war elephants were released on the Roman left, which did some damage, but when the elephants rampaged they killed Hanno, handing Carthage a bitter death. Rome could not crack the Carthage center, and became disorganized trying. Mago and his troops were able to take out several Roman weak troops including the Roman Heavy. In the end, the Romans pushed the Carthage right all the way back to the edge, but could not close the deal. Carthage took the final banner in a very close win.

7-4 for the Carthaginians. Unlike my previous playthrough of this scenario, the Romans were never really able to get on track with any sort of consistent offense on the flanks. Instead, they allowed themselves to get pinned down in the middle by the threat (and occasional hit) of the Carthaginian Light Sling Infantry and were sufficiently harassed by the Carthaginian Calvary on the flanks. The Roman calvary struggled to do anything productive; the calvary on the left flank struggled for most of the game to stay out of the cold River Trebbia after repeated retreats.

Unlike the previous game the Carthaginians were far more careful with their War Elephants and Heavy Infantry, keeping them outside of ranged attacks, and the patience paid off; the key turning point was when the War Elephants on the Carthaginian left flank saw an opening in the ranks and charged in and destroyed the long Roman Heavy Infantry unit and nearly took out the Medium Infantry unit right next to it. Even though the Elephants were taken down on the next turn, the Roman right flank was basically decimated at that point and all that was left to do was to take out the roman Auxilia (whose inability to evade and lack of support or leadership made them vulnerable to the remaining, superior units of the Carthaginians).

A 7-5 Carthaginian win mostly by tearing down the middle of the map after incurring losses on both flanks due to ranged damage and the skilled Roman medium calvary. Hannibal himself dispatched the last two units required for victory alongside a medium infantry unit. Mago never joined the battle!

Well, Sempronius may have had the greatest performance ever seen in Rome. All seven banners fell to a unit led by him. SIX of them fell after his unit was reduced to a single block. Carthage could not do anything successfully. They slowly advanced, pushing their wings forward to hit the Roman flanks, but just could not do anything. Mago's surprise ambush inflicted two blocks of damage instead of the mass damage that was expected to occur. Sempronius' skill was just too great for Carthage to overcome.

Rome 7 - Carthage 2

Mago's ambush this time proved much more effective, but aside from his damaging of the Roman flank there weren't many other bright spots for Carthage. The ambush racked up three quick banners and was responsible for severely weakening a unit that was later picked off. Carthage pushed its left flank cavalry forward in an attempt to break both flanks. Unfortunately this failed miserably with one unit of light cavalry and the elephants eliminated without causing damage. Rome slowly advanced until they closed with the legion. The legion crushed the Carthaginian units and failed to lose any of their own. Seriously, the legion could not be eliminated. It was like a block of terminators in the center that just kept coming.